Continuous double printer



June 9, 1964 4 J. c. GEMELLI 3,136,242

CONTINUOUS DOUBLE PRINTER Filed Dec. 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l FlGl INVENTOR JOSEPH C. GEMELLI QZ WK ATTO R N EYS J. c. GEMELLI 3,136,242

CONTINUOUS DOUBLE PRINTER June 9, 1964 Filed Dec. 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH C. GEMELLI BY W JLMKW ATTO R N EYS United States Patent 3,136,242 CONTINUGUS DOUBLE PRINTER Joseph C. Gemelli, Jelferson Ave., RED. 1, Norweil, Mass. Filed Dec. 19, 1962, Serial No. 245,370 4 Claims. (Cl. 101--37) This invention relates to apparatus for applying indicia to continuous cylindrical or extruded bodies moving in either a horizontal or vertical plane, and more particularly to printing identifying marks on insulated wire.

In my co-pending application Serial No. 243,056, filed December 7, 1962, I disclosed a single continuous printer for applying identifying marks to insulated wire. The continuous printer utilized a single print wheel which had a series of ink retaining indicia engraved on the bottom and sides of one or more parallel grooves cut into the circumferential surface of the print wheel. A guide wheel was located opposite the print wheel and by shifting the position of the guide wheel from one print wheel groove to another, I could move the continuous insulated wire from groove to groove thereby printing different markings on the wire without interrupting the production run of the wire. Furthermore, by providing the guide wheel with a corresponding series of grooves, I could simultaneously print two or more wires with identifying codes. However,

because I employed a single print wheel, the insulated wire or wires could be marked on only one side at a time.

An insulated wire with identifying codes printed on one-half of the circumferential surface of the wire was found to be very difficult to identify in a Wire bundle. If the markings faced inwards toward the center of the bundle, the wire, presented an unmarked surface which could not be identified. Therefore it is highly desirable that the identifying codes be printed on substantially the entire circumferential surface of the wire so that-the wire can be rapidly identified regardless of its position in a wire bundle or circuit. Although my single continuous printer could be used to print identifying codes on both sides of an insulated wire, it required the time consuming and expensive operation of running the wire through the printer twice to print both sides of the wire. Accordingly, it is an object of my present invention to provide an apparatus for simultaneously printing identifying codes on substantially the entire cireumferental surface of an insulated wire or wires. I

My present invention of a continuous double printer is operable in a horizontal or vertical position. However, if the print wheels are mounted in a vertical plane, i.e., their shafts horizontal, a serious problem occurs with respect to constructing a single ink supply system for both the upper and lower print wheels. Therefore, it is another object of my present invention to provide an ink supply system for a vertical double wheel printer which utilizes only one ink reservoir.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a single ink supply system which can vary the amount of ink applied to the first and second print wheels.

These and other objects of my invention will be ap-' parent in the following detailed description taken in con-.

junction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the continuous double printer, and;

' FIG. 2 is aview in cross-section showing the print wheels and ink feed system for the upper print wheel;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the upper print Wheel and ink scoop.

FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation showing the ink feed system for the upper print wheel.

Turning now to the drawings, FIG. '1 illustrates the continuous double printer mounted on a base indicated 3,136,242 Patented June 9, 1964 generally as 10. An upper and lower print wheel 12 and 14 respectively, rotate against the continuous members or insulated wires 16 of which only one is shown in FIG. 1 for purposes of clarity. Although the print wheels will be referred to throughout this description as upper and lower, it should be noted that the entire printer can be operated in a horizontal position, i.e., the shafts 18 and 20 of the print wheels would be in a vertical plane.

The upper and lower print wheels 12 and 14 rotate on shafts 18 and 20 which are journalled in carriers 22 and 24 mounted on the base 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The horizontal and vertical position of the upper print wheel 12 is adjustable so that the upper print wheel 12 can be accurately positioned over the lower print wheel 14 and can exert the necessary printing force against the continuous wires 16.

Looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper Print wheel shaft 18 is journalled in an adjustable carrier 22 which rides on tracks 26 inthe base 10. The upper print wheel adjusting screw 23 controls the vertical position of the upper print Wheel 12 and hence regulates the printing force exerted upon the continuous members 16. The horizontal position of upper print wheel 12 is adjusted by loosening the shaft lock screw 30 and then moving the upper print wheel 12 and shaft 18 to the desired position over the lower print wheel 14. After the upper print wheel 12 has been properly positioned the shaft lock screw 30 is tightened to secure the upper print wheel 12 in the desired position.

The lower print wheel 14 may also be mounted in an adjustable manner. However, it is normally sufficient to have only theupper print wheel 12 adjustably mounted although if both print wheels are positioned horizontally, i.e., with their shafts 18 and 20 in a vertical plane, it is desirable to have both print wheels adjustably mounted.

The upper and lower print wheels 12 and 14 may be removed from their respective shafts 18 and 20 by loosening and removing the upper and lower print wheel shaft nuts 32 and 34. This simple method of mounting the print wheels permits a rapid interchange of print wheels for various size wires and identifying codes without incurring an appreciable down time. Thus it is possible to use a single machine for printing identifying codes on wires whose diameters range from .010" to 3.00".

Ink retaining indicia 36 are engraved on the bottom and sides of a series of grooves 38 cut into the circumferential surface of both the upper and lower print wheels 12 and 14, respectively. By using multiple grooves 38 on print wheels 12 and 14, it is possible to simultaneously print two or more insulated wires it.

The lower print wheel 14'picks up a coating of ink as it rotates in an ink reservoir 40 filled to the desired level with printing ink 42. The indicia 36 retains a portion of the ink 42 whichis then transferred to the continuous members 16 at the point of tangential engagement with print wheels 12 and 14.

V The amount of printing ink 42 remaining on the lower print wheel 14 at the point of tangential engagement with the continuous members 16 is controlled by a doctor blade 44. The amount of ink 42 remaining onthe print wheel 14 is inversely proportional to the pressure of the doctor blade 44 on the print wheel 14. The doctor blade pressure is adjusted by varying the tension of spring 46 on the doctor blade support 48. The spring tension is changed by turning the doctor blade tension tension of spring 46 by means of doctor blade tension 'screw 50. As tension screw 50 is turned in one direction,

spring support 54 will move away from the doctor blade 44 thereby stretching spring 46 and exerting a force on doctor blade support 48 which in turn pivots on shaft 56 and presses doctor blade 44 against print wheel 14. If tension screw 50 is turned in the opposite direction,

. the doctor blade pressure against print wheel 14 is lessened tion of print wheel 14 in ink reesrvoir 5f creates wave motion in the ink 42. As the print wheel speed increases, the wave motion grows in intensity until it is sufficient to spill ink over the sides of ink reservoir 40. The wave motion ink spillage thus becomes a limiting factor for high-speed throughput. However, a Wave motion damper or bafile 5% attached to doctor blade support 48 prevents the build up of wave motion thereby avoiding ink spillage and permitting'the continuous operation of the printer at high throughput, speeds.

The upper print wheel 12 does not have a separate ink reservoir, but instead draws its ink from the lower print wheel ink reservoir 4%. An ink pick-up wheel 60 is secured to the lower print wheel shaft and rotates with the lower print wheel 14 in ink reservoir :6. The wheel 66 picks up a thin coating or film of ink as it rotates through the ink reservoir 40. An ink transfer wheel 62 is spaced from the ink pick-up wheel 60 by a little less than the thickness of the ink film on wheel 60.

The amount of ink transferred from the pickup wheel 69 to the transfer Wheel 62 can be varied by adjusting the spacing between the two Wheels. This is accomplished by loosening the upper print wheel shaft lock screw and shifting the entire upper print wheel assembly laterally by a slight amount. The amount of movement required to alter the quantity of ink transferred between the wheels is insufiicient to cause a significant. misalignment of the print wheel grooves 36 and 38. In other words, the relative thicknesses of the ink-film'and the wire diameter are such that the grooves in the two wheels can be misaligned enough to vary the ink transfer without affecting their function as guides for the wire. As the two wheels rotate, a thin and tightly held ink film is deposited on the transfer wheel 62 which will not spray off at high throughput speeds. However, at high throughput velocities centrifugal force does tend to build up a deposit of ink along the edges of the pick-upv and transfer wheels. If the speed is further increased, a small portion 7 of the ink will be spun off the wheels. The ink build up and spin off, however, can be minimized by selecting a printing ink with sufiicient viscosity to create an adhesive force between the ink and the wheels which will counteract the centrifugal force of thespinning wheels. Furthermore, the amount of ink transferred towheel 62 can be varied by adjusting the spacing between the ink pick-' up wheel .60 andthe ink transfer wheel 62.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, an ink scoop 4'is adjustaoly mounted by spring ddandtension screw as to scrape otfla portion of the ink coating on transfer wheel 62. The ink is'then fed by gravity from inkscoop 64 to the ink applicator system indicated generally as 70. The ink is applied to the upper print wheel 12 bya doctor blade '72. The doctor blade support 74, tension spring 7e and tension screw 73 increase or decrease thepressure of doctor blade 72 against the upper print wheel 12 in a manner similar to the lower print wheel doctor blade tensioningsystem. However, the upper printwheel doctor blade '72 controls the amount of ink applied to the upper print wheel 12 while the lower print wheel doctor blade 4 44 controls the amount of ink remaining on the lower print wheel 14.

Ink scrapers 8t) and 82 are provided to remove any excess ink deposits from the edges of the ink pick-up and transfer wheels as and 62, respectively.

Looking at FIG. 4, a motor driven takeup roll 84 draws the continuousmember 16 through the print rolls 12 and 14 from a supply roll 35. The motor driven takeup roll 84 and supply roll 85 are conventional items which are well known in the art and hence need not be described in detail.

Although I have stated that the upper and lower print wheels have ink retaining-indicia on their circumferential surfaces, it is obvious that such indicia could be omitted from either or both of the print wheels without departing from the scope of my invention, and therefore, I intend to broadly claim the print wheels andtheir ink feed system. 7 Numerous other modifications of the preferred embodiments of my invention will also be apparent now to those skilled in the art and therefore, I do not intend to confine my invention to the precise form shown herein, but rather to limit it in scope to the appended claims.

Having thus described and disclosed the preferred embodiments of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for printing a continuous member comprising: a base; a first print wheel journalled in said base; an ink reservoir positioned so that said first print wheel is partially immersed in said reservoir; means for damping wave motion in said reservoir; means for inducing tangential engagement of said first print Wheel with said continuous member whereby said ink is transferred from said first print wheel to said continuous member; means for controlling the quantity of ink on said first print wheel at the point of tangential engagement with said continuone member; a second print wheel journalled in said base, said second print wheel being disposed in spaced relation to said first print wheel with the axial plane of said wheel from said ink reservoir; means for inducing tangential engagement of said second print wheel with said continuous member whereby said ink is transferred from said scond print wheel to said continuous member; and means, for continuously transporting said member past the point of tangential engagement with said print wheels.

2. Apparatus for printing a continuous member comprising: a base; a first print wheel journalled in said base; an ink reservoir positioned so that said firstprint wheel is partially immerse'd'insaid reservoir; means for damping wave motion in said reservoir; means for inducing tangential engagement of said first print wheel with said continuous member whereby said ink is transferred from said first print wheel to said continuous member; means for controlling the quantity ofink on said first print wheel at'the. point of tangential engagement with said continuous'member; a second print wheel journalled in said base said second print wheel being disposed in spaced relation to said first print Wheel with the axial plane of said wheels normal to the longitudinal axis of said continuous member; an ink pick-upwheel, said pick-up wheel tinuous member; and means for continuously transporting said member past the point of tangential engagement with said print wheels.

' 3. An apparatus-according to claim 2 further characterized by means for adjusting the spacing between said pick-up wheel and said transfer wheels whereby the amount of ink transferred from said pick-up Wheel to said transfer wheel is varied.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 further charac 5 terized by said means for removing ink from the transfer wheel being adjustable in order that a predetermined amount of ink can be removed from the transfer wheel.

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Porter Mar. 8, 1910 La Bombard et a1 Apr. 11, 1922 Bates Jan. 7, 1941 Gillies Aug. 11, 1959 

1. APPARATUS FOR PRINTING A CONTINUOUS MEMBER COMPRISING: A BASE; A FIRST PRINT WHEEL JOURNALLED IN SAID BASE; AN INK RESERVOIR POSITIONED SO THAT SAID FIRST PRINT WHEEL IS PARTIALLY IMMERSED IN SAID RESERVOIR; MEANS FOR DAMPING WAVE MOTION IN SAID RESERVOIR; MEANS FOR INDUCING TANGENTIAL ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FIRST PRINT WHEEL WITH SAID CONTINUOUS MEMBER WHEREBY SAID INK IS TRANSFERRED FROM SAID FIRST PRINT WHEEL TO SAID CONTINUOUS MEMBER; MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE QUANTITY OF INK ON SAID FIRST PRINT WHEEL AT THE POINT OF TANGENTIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONTINUOUS MEMBER; A SECOND PRINT WHEEL JOURNALLED IN SAID BASE, SAID SECOND PRINT WHEEL BEING DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST PRINT WHEEL WITH THE AXIAL PLANE OF SAID WHEELS NORMAL TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CONTINUOUS MEMBER; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING INK TO SAID SECOND PRINT WHEEL FROM SAID INK RESERVOIR; MEANS FOR INDUCING TANGEN- 